Depositor



()ct. 1963 w. c. HARRIs ETAL 3,

DEPoSIToR 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 15l 1960 ()ct. 1963 w. c. HARRIsETAL 3,106,173

DE=POsToR v Fi1ed Novl 15, 1960 3 sheetssheet 3 United State Patent ThiSinvention Te1ates genera11y fo iInpfovements in batter of doughdepositing ap aratnS for commeToia1 bakeIieS, and n1oTe paIticI11af1yconcefns an impfoved apparatuS for pefiodicany diSchaTging Unifoan1ountS of batte1 depositS.

1nder the present day n1ethod of depositing cookie battef on a Inovingconveyof be1t, Severa1 dif11cultieS are encountefed. one of theiInpoTfant pTobleInS is the depoSi tion of uniforn1 aIIountS of cookiedongh on the belt. If the vveight of the depoSit is below standafd, theweight of the package wi11 be belovv t11e 1abo1indicated Vveight. on theothel 11and, any increase in the veight of the depoSit vvoU1dSignicant1y incfeaSe the cost of pfoduction. Con- Sequent1y there iS aneed fof a nlachine vvhich Wi11 ro vide Inore unifoT1 depositS of dough.The deve1opnlent of Such a nlachine wou1d tend to Tedoce f11e unit costof pToduction- It iS therefore an iInpoffant object of the pTeSentinvention to pfovide an iInpfoved dough depoSiting ap paTatLls capableof uniforn11y depositing the doUgh 011 a n1oving be1t in s11bStantia]1yuniforInly Weighed an1oUnts,

Anothef obioct of tho invention iS to provide a dough deposit apparatuShaving n1eanS for adiuStably controning the volun1e of the individIla1deposit vvhile the apparatuS iS in operation.

kA fI1rthe1 obiect of fhe preSent fnvention is to pfovido a de ositappafatus oapab1e of hand1ing batte1S and doughS of vaTyingconSistencies.

Yet another obect of the pTesent invention iS to provide a doUgh depositappafatUS having nleanS for self-centering the apparatus vith Tespect foa n1oving conveyor belt in Teceiving re1ation theTeto, Whefeby the doughdepoSits enlanating fron1 the apparatuS are syIT1Inetfica1ly aTT-angedon Said belt independently of the 1ateTa1, Shifting Inove- InentSthoToof.

1 1 fuTtheT object of the invention iS the proviSion of a nove1colT1bination of nleanS for pTeSSI1re feeding batter through diSchaTgooTi1ices in a depoSiting apparat11S and a shoaring n1echanisn1 opefatingin coniUnction vvith the orifices Whefeby eaoh diScharge of dough batterfron1 the appTatUS iS SubStantially unifofIn in vveight and oan bedischarged at a high production rateother obiectS, featureS andadvanfageS of the pfesont 3 ,16,173 Pafenfed ()of. 8, 1963 FI(}, 5 is asectional vievv of a va1ve SteIT1 asSen1b1y taken on the line 55 of F1G.4;

FI(1. 6 iS a vievv in perspective of a. goar 11ollSing, W1th paftSbroken away, to i11I1stTato the o eration of a rack and pinion aSSen1blyfor driving the doub1e action Shear plates;

FI(}. 7 1S a ffagInentary sectiona1 vievv taken on 1ine 77 in FIG. 1i1111Strating the Seleotive adiustability of individllal valve headS fofco1t1o1ling c1eafance ovef the dischanrge poTtS;

F1G. 8 iS a ffagmentary p1an view of tWo Shear plateS, )aftia11y brokento Show their Te1ative poSitionS vv11en bat ter iS eXffuded ffon1 thodepoSiting head and FIG. 9 iS a vieW SiInilaI, to FIG. 8 but ShoWing fhoShear plateS in their c1oSed position.

RefofTing to fhe drawingS, and paTticu1aT1y to FIGS, 1 and 2, there isindicafed geneTa11y at 10 a depositoT sup porting fraIne, conpriSig sideffaIne n1en1berS 11 and 12 socI1Ted iI1 Spaced pafa11o1 e1ati0n byffaDSvefse InefnbeTS 13 and 14- Zttached fo1 Tottion at eaoh end of theSide fraIne. Inen1beTS 11 12 are a pair of grooved To11efs 15 and 1oadapted to 1-ide on cross rai1S 17 and 18, fespectve1y, Suppofted on asuitab1e ffaInevvofk (not Shovvn). EXtending dovvnvvalTdly ffon1 one endof the Side fran1e Inembers 11 and 12 are left an(1 right hand vertfca1Inembefs 21 Seoured at their 1ovver endS by a transverSo bfacket 25,Simi1af1y the opposite endS of the Side frame men1 befS 11, 12 afepTovide(1 vVith veftica1 nTen1bers 22 toT- n1i1ating in a fTanSverSebTacket 23. These brackots, 23, 25, conStitute the end SUppoftS for anelongated hoTizonta1 p1atforn1 24, and a suppofting beaII1 25 diSposedpaf a11e1 fo said platfofIn and i11 the veftica1 p1ane of the Siden1eInbor 12.

suppoTted SecLIfe1y on t11e horiZontal platfoTm 24 and ex tending overto and Xed1y Supported by the beam 25 iS a depositing head indicatedgenerally aS 27. T11iS ap paTatuS is provided vvith a n1anifo1d 28foTIned With a feed pipe 2 and branch o11t1etS 30 and 31 vvhichcoInmunicate with i11ets 33 and 34, respectively, foTIned in the top ofthe depositing head 27, and throngh Which bat te1 is fed under constantpreSSuTe ffoIn a continuous n1iX ing apparatuS (not Shovvn) SI1itablyconnected thefewith aS by a f1exib1e hoSe and ooupHng.

invent1on wi11 be Teadi1y a )afent f1 oIn the fo11owing detaileddeScription of aI1 en1bodiInent thereof taken in coniunction With theaccoInpanying draWings in vvhich:

1 IC. 1 iS a plan vievv of fho depositing appa1atus i11uS tfating thepfinciples of :the inventio1 nlounted ovef the tfaveling band of abakor,S band ovon;

FIG. 2 iS a side elevationa1 viev, paTt1y in Section, of the appafatusShoWn 1n FIG, 1; l FIG. 3 is an en1aTged sectional view of a sheaT platefack gear drive taken on -the line 33 of F1G. 1;

FIC1. 4 is a perspective view of a Section of fhe depositing head,Shovving detai1S of construotion;

As beSt shown in F1G. 4, tho depositing head 27 con1- pfiseS a ho11owTneta1 box divided into 11ppor and 1owe chambeTS 35 and 311 by apaftition vva11 37 extending the entire 1ongth and vidt11 of -thedepositing head. The partition vvan 37 is formed wifh a p1ura1ity ofopenings 38, pfoferably diSpoSed in fovvS althongh any other sL1itab1e afangeInent nlay be 11Sed if so deSired. zS i1lustrated herein, two rowsof o enin s 38 ae shown in Sta eTed re1ation to one another. S1Ini1arfovvs 40 and 41 (FIC. 1) of ho1es are provided in t11e fop vva11 44 ofthe depoSifing head in TegiSt1y With the holeS 38. A coITeSponding groupof TegisteTed openings 42 iS fonned in the boftom Wa11 43 (F1GS. 4 and7) of the loWer chaInbof 35.

ScTevthreaded into eaoh 1ine of openings 40 and 41 in the top Wa11 44 ofthe depoSiting head 27 is a p1Ura1ity of aduStab1e valve p1ugS 45, eaohof Which iS providod vvith a valve head 45 )ositioI1ed above thoopeningS 38 foTmed in fhe artition wa11 37. T hese valve p1ugS 45 areadapfod to contro1 the 11ow of preSSI1rized battef fron1 the uppef(=1lambe1 35 via the openings 38 into the 1ovver fooker afIT1 81 and the1)in 70 on the osci11atab1e focker larm 77, thus incfeaSing ofdecreaSing, Tes )ective1y, the angn1aT n1agI1ifude of osoillation of the'Shaft 75 (See FI( o) whio11 ectS Teciprocation of tho shea1 b1adeS 51,sZ through the pinions 73, 74 and the -geaf Tac1S 71, 72.

It Win be UnderStood by thoSe skined i11 the aft that no n1erousvafiations-in the above described apparatUs in volving s11bstitutions ofsubStantial equiva1entS fof the stToctofes dosofibed afe inteded to becompTehended vvithin tho Spi1it of the )feSent invention and that theiIIvention is cap able of extended a p1ication and is not confined tothe pTeciSe conStfuctions i1111stpated no1 to the ordeI in Wv11ioh theStepS have been deScfibed and, thefo fofe, Such changeS andn1odificationS Inay be ITlade thefein aS do not affect the spifit andScope of the inveotion.

1. In a dongh depositing appaTatns having an extrusion chanlber )Tovidedvvith a plurality of diSchafgo openings, the coInbination of a soufce ofdough under conStant )ressufe opefatively connected to said ohan1ber todis tTibute dough thefein, deposit conffo1 IneanS asSociated vVith saiddischarge openingS to selectively adjust the vo111 LInetfic size of fhedou gh deposits dischaTged ffom Said openings, a )air of divefgent1yTecipfocable sheaf b1ades opeTable vhen in theff Inaxonunl divergentposition to sea1 Soid )111ra1ity of diScharge openingS againSt the diScharge of dough thefethTough, and opefative vvhen in theif convefgentposifion to uncover Said openingS fof the diS ch'arge of doU-ghtheTethTough, and operable When fnoving froIn thoif convergent positionto thei1 naxiInUn di veTgent oSition to s-he af Said dollgh dopoSitS by)TogreS- sive enciTcleInent thereof.

2. In a depositing ap aratus accofding to o1ain1 1, vVhereiI1 saiddeposif conffo1IneanS con1priSeS a p1nfality of selectively adiUStablevalveS disposed acToss said extrusion ohanlbef fof In aintaining thedischarge pTeSSUTe of said doUgh uniforIn1y though Said p1111 a1ity ofdiSchafge open ings in said c11an1ber.

3. In a depositing appafatus accoTding to c1ain1 1, vvheTein thefe isTovi ded valvUlar IInea11s fo contro1 the 1=TeSSUTe of Said doughUnifofmly thin said chambeT aIld to control the individoal voluInetTicsize of each discharge of dough, Said means being adiUstable vhi1e saida )aratuS is in opefation.

4. In a dough depositing ap afafuS, an eXfrusion chan1 ber having apaftition ldividing said cf1anber into upper and 1owef conlpaTUTlentS, aI)111fa1ity of openings in Said paftition comInunioating fTom saidup1)e1 to Said loWef coInpaftment, an inl et for sup 1ying oab1e p1asticmate- Tial to said op er coIn )aTfInent, Said lowef compartn1ent havinga botton1 vva11, a, 1ura1ity of disoharge openingS thefe-in in fegiStTyvvith the openings in Said artiti0n, a air of op ositely rocfpTooableSheaf bfades aSSociated With the openings in said lovVef coIn )artInent,Said blades boing fecipTocable fronl a convergent )oSition to a, diveTgent position, Said SheaT blades being operable When in saiddiveTgent oSition to Seal Said 1ura1ity of discharge openingS againStthe diScharge of mateTial theTethrough and opeTative when in saidconvefgent position to uncovef said openings fof the diSchafge ofn1ateTia1 therethTough, and va1vUlar Ineans for each of said openingS insaid paftition fOT lTlaintaining nniforo1 pressUre of the natefia1 iIlsaid lower con1paTtnent.

S, In a dough depoSiting oppafatos according to clain1 4 7hefein thefeis pfovfded'dopoSit contfo1 nleanS aSSo ciated with Said a1vU1ar Ineansto selectively 'adjI1St the volun1etric Size of dongh depositsdischargod ffon1 said discharge o eningS.

6. In a dough depositing a papatus accofding fo claim 4, Wherein thereiS provided deposit control neanS asSo ciafed With said va1volaf Ineansto se1ective1y adiUSt the volunletTic size of doUgh deposits diSchafgedffon1 Said disoharge openingS, Said de )oSit contfo1 Ineans being adiustab1e While Said depoSiting apparatus is in operation.

7. In a dough de ositing aJ )afatus accofding to c1'aiIn 4, vhefeinthere iS pfovided neanS integra1 vvith said valvular IIloanS toSelectively adjuSt the vo1-Ilnetric Size of dough deposifs dischargedffom Said diScharge openh1gS, said n1eanS ooTn fiSing a Tetfactab1eva1ve head fof each of said openingS in said )aTtition fof controllingthe diS charge of dough ffom Said up pef com arnent to the lovvefcoInparfnlent, eaoh ^alve head having a centfa1 steII1 extending th oughthe openings iI1 said partition, and a va1ve head foTIned 011 each ofSaid stems.

8. A cookie bafteI dopositof fo1 association vith a trave1ing oven bandcoIn )TiSing, an extrosion chan1ber having o foW of disc'harge openingsin a lower poftion thereof, nleanofoT eriodicaHy opening and closingsaid diScharge openingS, said means incloding a pail of oppoSitelymovab1e Shea1 lates, a Tovv of apeftuTeS oI1t in oach of Said shear)1ates coopefating vfth Said discharge openingS to seal said openingS toprevent diSchrge of cooky batter thefeffom hen safd n1ovable sheaf1)1ateS afe in one of theil opposed positions and acting fo open saidopeningS to the diScharge of cookie battef thereffon1 When in another oftheir opposed positionS, 1eanS fof feciprooat ing said Shear fafeS in op)()site difecfions ffon1 one of theif )ositions to anofhef of Said1)ositions, an endleSS oven band aoapted to Suppoft edible units ofdepoSited dough batfer, and I1ea11S incloding a t11rnbnck1e and avariable Speed Inotor fof controHing the lan1ount and the Tate of 1eci1Jfooation of Said sheaf p1ates vvheTeby the equidiStant intefvalsbetvveen t ansverSe TovvS of battef doposifS oo Said oven band nay beinc1eased of decfeaSed.

9. A cooky battef dopoSifof accofding to olaim 8, 111- cluding la ffaInefol Suppofting Said de oSitor above Safd oven band, and ro11ef Tn eanSsoppoffing Said ffaIne fof nloveITlent tfaJSverse1y acroSS Said ovenband.

10. A deposifof accoTding to claim 8, Whefein said shear p1ate apeftufesare 'e11iI)fica11y Shaped vvith the Inaior aXeS thefeof eXtending in otranSveTSe diTection vvith re Spect to the diTection of TT1oveInent ofthe oven band.

11. In a doogh depoSiting apparatus for depoSiting p1astic dongh in aSequence of de )oSitS of adiustably de tefInined volume, a chamberhaVing a plufa1ity of diS charge openings in a lowef wa11 theTeofthfough Which dough is foTced l111dof conStant pfesSure, o pair of divergeIltly TeoipTocable Shear bladeS vvhioh in one of its rocfpfocablepositions Se a1S fhe plufa1ity of dischaTge open ings against thediScharge of dough theTethToogh, the Shear blades vvhen in their otheffeoipfocab1e posifion pern1itting dough to be forcod thfough fhediSchafge openingS, a aTtition plate dividing said chambeT into uppefand loer com aftmentS, the dough undef TeSSu1e being supp1ied to theuppof coInpaftITfent and then 1)assed to the lower con1partInent througha eTtuTes in Said partition plate, and an adjustable valve p111gne1I1beT aSSocilated Vvith each of the apeftufeS of Said )artifion forSUbjecting a deter1ined frictiona1 orag on the dough passing th1ough said apeftuTes in order to maintain fhe dough Within Said 10VvefcoInpaffInont at a )TeSSure Which is sT1bStantia11y conStant thfoughoutthe area of the 1owef vvall of the chambeT.

12. A dough deposifing opparatns according to c1aiIn 11 in Which anadjustab1e valve plog is associated vvith each of said diSchatgeopenings in the lowef wan of the cham bef fof inlpoSing a detefnined-fTictional dfag on the dOUgh foTced ont thfongh Said diSchaTge openingsin order to Lnainfain the ow thTough each of the diScharge openings at arate which is cloSely SiIT1ila1 to the rafe of ow thTough each of theothe1 diScharge o eningS in said 1owef wan.

13- A doogh depositing appaTafus according to clain1 12, in Whicf1 eachof Said va1ve ug memberS iS adjustable vvflile the apparatus iS hloperation for varying the fficfional drag i n1jposed on the dough oWingthrough said discharge o )eningS,

I 14. A dongh depoSiting opparatuS accofding to claim 11 in vvhich soidShear b1adeS afe arranged in supefposed felationShip, the u )peT and10vveT bfades each having 7 Tow of apertureS corresponding to andTegiSfering With he discharge Openings of the lower Wan of the chambefvvhen the sheaT bladeS afe in thei1 Said otheT poSition ofTeciprocation.

1S. A dough depositing appaatuS accoTding to caiIn 11 in Which thechInber iS sppoTted above endlesS oven band, in vvhich the sheaT bladeSafe Synchronized With the Tnovement of the oven band Whereby depoSitSnlent of the oven baod, ad is oentered ovef the band by TolleTS trackingthe longitndinal edges of Said band.

ReferenceS cifed i1 the me of thiS patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 774,204SanlpSon Nov. 8, 1904 9Z1,874 Mcvitie et al May 18 1909 LSZ4,9ZZFofmaneok 'Feb. 3, 19Zi 1,605,609 PerkinS Nov, 2, 1926 Z 791,97S MendoZaMay 14, 19S7 Brudi Dec. 13, 1960

1. IN A DOUGH APPARATUS HAVING AN EXTRUSION CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH APLURALITY OF DISCHARGE OPENINGS, THE COMBINATION OF A SOURCE OF DOUGHUNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER TODISTRIBUTE DOUGH THEREIN, DEPOSIT CONTROL MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAIDDISCHARGE OPENINGS TO SELECTIVELY ADJUST THE VOLUMETRIC SIZE OF THEDOUGH DEPOSITS DISCHARGED FROM SAID OPENINGS, A PAIR OF DIVERGENTLYRECIPROCABLE SHEAR BLADES OPERABLE WHEN IN THEIR MAXIMUM DIVERGENTPOSITION TO SEAL SAID PLURALITY OF DISCHARGE OPENINGS AGAINST THEDISCHARGE OF DOUGH THERETHROUGH, AND OPERATIVE WHEN IN THEIR CONVERGENTPOSITION TO UNCOVER SAID OPENINGS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF DOUGHTHERETHROUGH, AND OPERABLE WHEN MOVING FROM THEIR CONVERGENT POSITION TOTHEIR MAXIMUM DIVERGENT POSITION TO SHEAR SAID DOUGH DEPOSITS BYPROGRESSIVE ENCIRCLEMENT THEREOF.